SAT Scores Higher

Steady Improvement Shown Throughout County

The results are in and school officials in Fairfax County are pleased with what they saw.

According to statistics, students in the county scored higher on the SAT test than ever before. The average SAT score for the class of 2002 was 1,096, 556 in math and 540 in verbal. While the verbal scores remained the same from 2001, math scores increased by three points.

“Fairfax County students continue to improve their SAT scores and to score higher than their counterparts in the state and nation,” said Dr. Daniel A. Domenech, the superintendent. “An average score of 1,096 systemwide shows steady improvement on the part of our students.”

Mt. Vernon High School saw average SAT scores drop from 974 in 2001 to 961 in 2002. Verbal scores dropped by three points from 482 in 2001 to 479 in 2002. Math scores dropped by 10 points from 492 in 2001 to 482 in 2002.

West Potomac students’ SAT scores increased from 1025 in 2001 to 1,031 this year. Verbal scores dropped by five points from 519 in 2001 to 514 this year, while math scores rose by eleven points from 506 in 2001 to 517 this year.

COUNTYWIDE, SAT scores for minority students met or exceeded national averages. Asian students’ scores exceeded the national average for Asian students by 15 points on the verbal section and nine points in math. FCPS black students’ scores exceeded the national average for black students by 34 points on the verbal section and by 38 points in math. Hispanic students’ scores exceeded the national average for Hispanic students by 38 points in verbal and 33 points in math.